Solidarity with political prisoners: Cubans in Miami meet to pray after march

MIAMI – A few dozen people met on Monday night at the Our Lady of Charity National Shrine to pray for freedom in Cuba as they marked the first anniversary of the historic July 11 protests.

Some of the parishioners had participated in a march along Eighth Street in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood in solidarity with the Cuban political prisoners.

Aylin Silva and Wilfredo Ramos marched together and used their mobile phone to show their relatives on the communist island the strong showing. Their relative was in tears.

“We have to arm ourselves with courage,” she said in Spanish from Cuba.

The crowd shouted in Spanish: “Long live a free Cuba!”

Andy Gómez, formerly of the University of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, has been following the officials’ crackdown after the July 11 protests.

“The only way that this regime is going to come down is if a large portion of their military turns on its leaders,” Gómez said.

The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance also commemorated the anniversary at the Bay of Pigs Museum in Miami with veterans of the Assault Brigade 2506.

“It’s a freedom that we believe in, it’s a cause that we believe in, it’s people that we will support forever,” Rafael Montalvo, the president of Brigade 2506, said during the event.

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About the Authors
Christian De La Rosa headshot

Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach.

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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